A gobstopper has layers. So does the best selvedge.
As you suck a gobstopper, it reveals the next layer underneath. And, as odd as it sounds, so does the very best selvedge denim. That’s because the best selvedge is hand dipped many, many times.
Alas, not all selvedge is born the same. Some types are dyed with a chemical dye. It’s quick, efficient and cost effective. There’s nothing wrong with it. But one rule we have at Hiut Denim Co is work with the best. So we persuaded the iconic Japanese mill ‘Kuroki” to supply us. They are world renowned for their ‘genuine indigo-dyed selvedge.
Our Kuroki Selvedge is dyed no less then 10 times. Natural indigo dyeing is an extremely laborious and costly process. The cotton is dipped in the indigo prior to being shuttle woven. And it is dipped repeatedly. The more dips it has, the darker the cotton will be.
And after all that painstaking hard work, when you compare a natural dyed jean and a synthetic one, there would be very little to tell them apart. But under the surface, the story is different.
A machine dyed indigo dye only clings to the surface of the cotton yarn leaving a white core. But a bona-fide indigo hand-dyed denim cotton deeply penetrates right down to the centre of the yarn. As a result, hand-dyed denim will not only fade more slowly, but more beautifully.
Its layers will be revealed over time.
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The above was an excerpt from Hiut Denim Co. — YearBook 2. We only printed 2000. They have all sold out. But you can get a free digital version of YearBook 1 when you sign up for our newsletter here.
